12 of the world's most spectacular Christmas trees

Vilnius Christmas tree (Lithuania) – It's big, it's bright -- and it's not actually a tree but a 25-meter metal frame covered in fir tree branches. At least they're not plastic. But they probably are flammable.

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The world's most spectacular Christmas trees12 photos

Lego Christmas tree (Malaysia) – Built with 400,000 Lego blocks. Hey, did kids make this thing?

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Rockefeller Center tree (NYC) – Mariah Carey, Leona Lewis and the Goo Goo Dolls performed at the "turning on" of this 12-ton tree, donated by a Connecticut family who found a clever way of getting rid of it.

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Galeries Lafayette tree (France) – The world's largest "in-store" Christmas tree was designed by Swatch. Batteries not included. Good luck getting it home.

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Floating Christmas tree (Brazil) – At 85 meters and 540 tons, it's the world's largest floating Christmas tree and possibly the world's only one of any note. Parabéns, Brazil!

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National Christmas tree (Wash., D.C.) – Must be hard to have an "austerity" Christmas with this baby parked out the front. And Obama gets to light it.

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Brandenburg Gate tree (Berlin) – Norway has given Berlin a Christmas tree every year as a sign of peace and solidarity since the fall of the Berlin Wall. But no shockingly expensive Scandinavian thermal wear. Well, it's the thought that counts.

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Macaroon Christmas tree (United States) – The hotel pastry team at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina, took 58 hours to create this 8,000-cakelet Christmas tree. And were paid in macaroons.

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Umbrella tree (London) – Made by a luxury umbrella maker Fulton and unsurprisingly festooned with said rain gear. Problems start when you imagine what other manufacturers might come up with.

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Opera Christmas tree (France) – This one reflects the baroque style shared by the host Grand Hôtel de Bordeaux & Spa and Bordeaux's opera house. Also sings in a nice soprano. We assume.

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Fendi Christmas tree (Rome) – Fendi "bag bugs" festoon the fashion house's tree at the Hotel de Russie, Rome. Get up close and you'll hear it going "mwah mwah" and making snotty comments in five languages.

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Recycled bottle Christmas tree (London) – The 900 plastic bottles used to make this London tree were meant as a statement on Christmas consumerism. And a good one: 900 bottles sounds like a helluva lot.

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Story highlights

Never mind the baubles -- one of these Christmas trees is made of macaroons

Another, in Rome, is festooned with luxury handbags

Some go for glitz -- like the crystal-star-topped Rockefeller Center tree in NYC

Brazil's gaudiest floats on water

Twinkly lights and tinsel?

That's so last Christmas.

Christmas trees don't have to be traditional to look spectacular.

In fact, some of the most memorable ones this year are anything but.

How about a Christmas tree made from Lego?

Or macaroons?

Even the odder entrants in this selection of the world's most amazing Christmas trees on public display tend to be big and bright.

And there are still plenty of sparkly stars to be found and photographed.

They're just much bigger and much brighter than the ones on the tree in your living room.

1. Vilnius Christmas tree (Lithuania)

The well-preserved old town in the Lithuanian capital looks like just the sort of place that needs a Christmas tree.

Now it's got one -- and it's 25 meters tall.

It's not so much a tree as a metal skeleton covered with fir tree branches.

Decorated with elaborate opera costumes, yards of lace and hundreds of crystals, the Christmas tree at the Grand Hôtel de Bordeaux & Spa is the fruit of a collaboration with L'Opera National de Bordeaux.

The hotel and the opera house share a baroque style, as does the tree -- which sings in a nice soprano.